Observe life at its best, listen to life’s songs, embrace life’s bounties, breathe the breath of life and savor life to its fullest!

To all my wonderful blogger friends, visitors, followers and acquaintances. Posting has been very slim due to the illness of my husband, James (Jim) Lee Shults. Friday morning, May 12, 2017 after nearly 33 years of marriage which began on July 10, 1984, Jim’s time in his temporary home on this Earth ended with a new beginning commencing in his eternal home. The pain and suffering is over as he rests in peace in the comfort of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your cards, letters, prayers, comforting thoughts and so much more. Jim will be remembered for his compassion, humor, endless stories & jokes, love of country and family. For him, to go though the day without making someone smile or laugh, was wasted time, time without purpose or meaning. He was a joke waiting to be told and never missed an opportunity to lift someone’s spirits.

To my soulmate…

Treasures in Jars of Clay
(2 Corinthians 4:7-18)

7Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.8We are pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal bodies. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

13And in keeping with what is written: “I believed, therefore I have spoken,”c we who have the same spirit of faith also believe and therefore speak, 14knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence. 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may overflow in thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17For our light and temporary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that far outweighs our troubles.18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

‘Til we meet again …

At Heaven’s Door

The doors of Heaven opened
The day you came into my life
At our eyes’ first meeting,
Divine intervention touched my soul

What once were dreams and aspirations
Transpired into fearless reality
Conscious reasoning gave way to inner feelings
Our encounter ensured destiny unfold

Love initiated in Heaven
Unconditional, without envy or self-pity
Free from illusion, secure in faith
Lays eternal in the mist

Two hands merged as one
One heart, one body, one spirit
Truly blessed to share life’s daily happenings
Until only memories exist

Our love spans the sands of time
Through the years, happiness and tears,
‘Til one day we’re hand-in-hand
Standing quietly at Heaven’s Door

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We should all strive to learn who we are…from whence we came. Each of us holds a place in an ancestral chain with relatives from many different walks of life. Within anyone’s ancestry lies experience after experience deemed a success, as well as a considerable amount of failure. Every walk of life provides a step forward, often many backwards, encapsulating a certain degree of risk plagued by the overarching question, “Will I make it this time?” Often this is even followed by “Why try?”

Why try, indeed? Because there is an overwhelming desire, a passion, to live a dream and the unyielding desire, the tenacity, to see it happen. Once the vision is established it takes a combination of passion and tenacity to keep the momentum going. The passionis the drive to put more energy into achieving that vision than ever before, much more than is necessarily required. It goes beyond enthusiasm or excitement requiring commitment of heart, mind, body and soul. Of course, with every accomplishment there are setbacks. The tenacityis that persistent determination, even in the face of adversity, to never give up.

Are you willing to take the risk to live your dream? What if you fail?

*****

“Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” – Henry Ford

*****

What if these people gave up?

Where would their place be in history?

*****

“The more things you do, the more you can do.” – Lucille Ball

*****

What about these famous failures?
What if they had not gone on to fulfill their destinies?

“I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.
I have lost almost 300 games.On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed.I have failed over and over and over again in my life.And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

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Today Sunday, June 19, 2016 is Father’s Day…a day of honor and celebration for our dads and fathers. Not all fathers are dads nor are all dads fathers. Each holds a special place in a child’s, teen’s or adult’s heart. Regardless of the role—dad, father or both—not any one of us could be here without having been fathered. With fatherhood comes a tremendous responsibility encompassing tasks of sharing, caring and preparing for life’s journey.

May this Father’s Day be filled with wondrous blessings that continue through each day of the year! To each of you…A Father’s Day Salute!

It’s being thankfulGratitude of heartKnowing what you need(when you need it)Right from the start

It’s together time

The thrill of hearty laughter

Seeing what you’re going through

(even if it doesn’t show)

The morning of the day after

It’s helping with decisionsStaying taut through outs or insTeaching life’s not easy(taking the right road)Supporting losses and wins

It’s hurting and being hurtHolding discipline’s place
Leaving behind a legacy(not of material ‘things’)Rewards of saving grace

*It’s compassion and comfort
When a hug is all that’s needed
Priceless moments in time(Teddy Bear hugs)
Quickly and tenderly heeded
It’s shaping, moldingEach life that has begunMaking an investment(often without return)
‘Til the full course is run

It’s when having to leaveLooking back with prideReleasing all the tears(happiness and heartache)Bottled up inside

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The Christmas season is filled with times of joyful gathering…family, friends, colleagues, co-workers, acquaintances from many different backgrounds. The main question is…why do you join others in celebration at this time of year? Is it simply feasting and partying, dressing in fancy attire, for camaraderie, perhaps time to catch up on happenin’s throughout the year? What makes it different from any other gathering? There is only one reason for this season which should remain at the top of the list, the star of the Christmas tree, the most wondrous gift of them all…

*****

May we never be so focused on getting gifts & PRESENTS

that we forget to receive…

*****

*****

…the gift of HIS PRESENCE!

*****

Spread the pure joy!

There is magic in ChristmasA time for joy, a time of peaceSharing, caring, preparingAs cascading snowflakes increase

A star tops the Christmas treePresents of love beneath

All in the joy of givingEncircling like a wreath

People come, people go
All in the name of good cheer
Wishing Merry Christmas
And the happiest New Year

Coziness of a fireplace
A warm hug, tender kissChristmas Eve closes in prayers
No one dares not miss

While saying Merry ChristmasWith wishes for a Happy New YearHow many celebrate birthThe real reason behind all the cheer?

Wining, dining, feeling fineFeasting on the bestWhen asked why you celebrateWhat do you attest?

Hope in ChristmastimeThe message of the seasonBirth of our SaviorTruly the blessed reason

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As Christmas day draws nearer and nearer, very little time remains for shopping, especially for the little gifts that may have been forgotten. The last minute push always has people rushing around almost in a daze…in a craze anyway! So, ever thought of doing something different? Staying away from the malls, putting your imagination to work? What about inviting family and friends over and being creative! Make some small gifts together or simply let the time of enjoyment be the gift itself…give the gift of smiles and laughter.

* * * * *

The Time When Giving Rules

Christmas—a time for giving

Loving, laughing & living

Forgetting & forgiving

Remembering, reliving

Christmas brings time for laughter

Today, tomorrow, thereafter

Gifts of love, you’re the crafter

Those ne’er bought before or after

Something to use, something to share

The idea is showing you care

Make it something unique with flair

Or totally risque if you dare

Should you decide food’s the thing

Add to it just the right zingSmall goodies smiles surely bring When the mason jar is king

If the gift is a gift of money

Be sure to make it funnyAny dollar bill, sweet as honeyLeaves the day bright and sunny

Less demanding are simple toolsMaybe rhinestone studded jewelsSome little wooden sewing spoolsAll in the time when giving rules

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Amid all the festiveness of the holiday season come times of remembrance… Christmas past, family and friends gone but not forgotten. There is an overwhelming sense of sadness that at the same time brings on smiles of the heart. The joy, the laughter, the silliness within the seriousness of the time. With Christmas, there is always music, special music. Some of the melodies have been passed down from generation to generation while new ones hit the scene with the changing times.

Loving memories of those who have passed on are rekindled everyday in music that lives on and on and on…

Gone, yet ne’er forgotten
Music that calms & heals
Soothing the very soul
With each heart it steals

Yesterday, today, tomorrow

Music starts the morning

Your songs live within us

Keeping our hearts yearning

With the Christmas season
You’re missed more ’n’ more
With melodies of the holidays
Drifting in and out the door

Gone, yet ne’er forgottenMusic to relive the daysHappiness within sorrow’Til the last memory fades

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Have you ever thought about the difference in thankfulness versus gratefulness? During hot, dry spells, you are thankful for the slightest hints of rain or during the winter, you are thankful for the day falling snow finally wanes. On the other hand, you are indeed grateful for the presence of nature, the nurture that Mother Nature brings to the earth in the forms of nourishment, care, shelter, guidance, inspiration. Being aware of your surroundings interjects feelings of thoughtfulness which in turn makes you truly thankful thereby expressing gratitude for all blessings received. Inner spirit is at peace, heart and soul.

Turning Thoughtfulness

Being thankful, giving thanks
Go together hand-in-hand
One without the other
Makes for a lonely stand

Be thankful for many blessings
Each new day may impart
Specially those unexpected
Which arrive heart-to-heart

Give thanks in return
For those blessings received
Since unspoken words
Can’t be quickly perceived

Be thankful for troubled times
Reaching out to those concerned
For without painful mistakes
Lessons cannot be learned

In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.

November 13th is World Kindness Day!

A global 24-hour celebration dedicated to
paying-it-forward and focusing on the good.

Feelings of thoughtfulness naturally bring on acts of kindness, which make for a better day any time of the year. Even though November 13th is set aside as a day of celebration, let it only be the beginning of random acts of kindness to last all year!

Need some ideas?

Opportunities for random acts of kindness are everywhere. We just have to take the time and allow ourselves to do something memorable for others. November 13th, World Kindness Day, is a good day to remind us of that. The good news, is that kindness doesn’t always require spending. A nice letter, a compliment, or even your time can make someone smile.

Shari’s Berries created a Random Acts of Kindness Generator to inspire you on World Kindness Day. Just choose a category, and the generator will provide a simple act you can do for someone else. Luckily, there are over fifty different kindness ideas which you can perform all year long!